Her dreams were brief and interrupted; despite the fact that the woman was exhausted, there would be no sleep tonight. The round protrusion that had grown wide in her womb was alight with movement as the future heirs of she and Ruiko's kingdom stirred wildly. A creamy leg would kick here and there as the leadess dreamed, at times landing a soft jab against her mate's legs or belly. Pale beams of moonlight danced along the angles of her back as a soft whimper lulled in her throat. And then it hit her like a bolt of lightning - her pale amber eyes opened as a sharp, stabbing pain radiated through her spine and pelvis. Carefully probing the curve of her abdomen, her gaze would shift nervously toward her mate; as much as she wanted to curl up close to him for comfort sake, she was well aware that it was no doubt time to deliver the children, and she could not stay here. Issuing the slumbering king a tender nudge and reasoning that he would surely follow the trail she would leave behind for him, Aeylen slipped out into the silver-featured creekland nightscape.

She knew exactly where to go. The chosen location, a half mile to the northwest, was discrete, sheltered on one side by the looming mountains and by a shadowy thicket on the other; a narrow threshold at the base of a rocky hillside leads to an underground lair, and it was there she would give birth. The symphony of a pounding heart beat in the proud female's chest, in rhythm with the three in her belly, and thoughts of her expectations for the future and what this meant for her mate and pack ran through her mind as she cut through the night. Triangle ears would sweep backward as her destination emerged in the distance, and she closed the distance swiftly as her peaceful state began to deteriorate at the seams. After taking a survey of her surroundings to ensure that she was, indeed, alone, the tawny figure stole away into the sequestered den. It was a tight squeeze at first, due mostly to her current width, but the path gave way to a much larger space which she was certain would be a comfortable fit for her family. With little interest she would investigate a quaint patch of dead foliage, and after asserting that it would be inappropriate for the children the Tainn settled on the smooth clay of the den's floor.

Hours would pass.

At the mercy of her own body, it was all she could do now to continue breathing as the dynamic of her pain shifted, now more intense than ever. The pressure felt as though it would rip the woman to pieces, but then the quietest, most beautiful sound she had ever heard met her ears. Lifting a hindleg, Aeylen laid a tear-streaked gaze upon her first-born son, a tiny prince who met the world with a grace much larger than life. The mother reached out delicately, the whole of her body quivering from the strain, and caressed her Mirren for the first time as he cried out to the new world. Heaving sides rose and fell as she worked, nuzzling her face into the ground as she braved the process, driven by the sound and touch of her healthy baby boy. After a short time, and perhaps the confrontation of her life, a second heir was birthed; if the first had been angry at the cool air, the second was furious, his sqeals and screams overshadowing the noise of his brother. Nios, the voice of the litter. Only minutes passed between the arrival of the younger son and the baby girl who was more beautiful than any parent could have hoped for, and the princess of Copper Rock Creek, Vaeta Tainn, joined her brothers against the warmth of the martriarch's underside.

Upon polishing off the afterbirth from their soft, fuzzy coats, the blood-stained shewolf curled her body around the bunch, roving over them gently with her lips and snout before laying her head to rest.

This day, the sun would rise to light the empire of Copper Rock Creek.

His mate was restless; of course, Ruiko only knew this from the wild kicks that would befall him from her limbs every so often. A grunt would be offered in return, and the tawny regal would slowly drift back in to slumber. So far deep in to sleep did the tawny wolf drift that he did not feel his mate’s tender nudge, nor notice the presence of her warmth until the cold had fully seeped upon his side.


Blinking slowly in the dark, Ruiko’s jaws opened with a lumbering yawn, his eyes flickering briefly down to check upon Aeylen.


Who was no longer there.


Instantly alert, the golden male shifted his figure, pushing himself to his paws as his eyes swept the den for any trace of his mate. Her pale tawny figure did not emerge, and without hesitation, the regal Leader padded off in to the night, his nose quickly picking up her scent. He knew why she had left.


Unsettled that it was time, Ruiko stalked after Aeylen, as silent as the night. Only when he reached the den she had chosen for birthing would he stop, knowing he would not be welcome in to the depths until she said so. Slowly, Ruiko lowered himself to his haunches, standing vigilant guard outside of his mate’s den and growling lowly to every hitch in his beloved’s breath. Aeylen was strong – he believed she would produce him beautiful puppies, and she would be the perfect mother.


Only when the streaks of sunlight began to stir the land around him did the tawny wolf begin to hear the squeaks of the life that now rested in the den. Uttering a sigh of relief, Ruiko waited at the entrance… waited to meet his children for the first time.

As exhausted as she now was, the glory of the suspended moment was enough to sooth her aches. Rolling delicately to relieve the pressure that had been building on her ribs as she had laid, the realization that they were finally here was nearly overwhelming. The shewolf would lift her wary head every now and then, or between her brief periods of rest, to check on the newborns, who would each grow silent here and there after having worn themselves out crying out. Outside the spacious, if not bloodied crevace, the sound of light rainfall pelting down through the darkness pulled her from her intense watch. Was he near?

With dawn just over the horizon, she was sure Ruiko would wake at first light - as he always had. Would he find her, as she rested, watching over his sons and daughter? She was certain he would come now, if he hadn't reached her already.

As much as she wanted to pull herself to her feet, she could not; her body had taken a beating, and although her time as a mother was limited only to hours, the woman dare not stray from her litter. With a glorious, and defeated sigh of contentment, Aeylen released a shrill whine before laying her head upon creamy, dirty forepaws.

The king's presence just outside the den mouth had eluded her during the long process, but eventually she would catch a whiff of her mate's fresh scent on the wind. An ear flickering sideways, she perked in the slightest at the curiosity. She should have known.

"Ruiko?" a gentle voice called out, beckoning for the man to bring her his comfort and love, not only for her, but also for their children.

The elicited whines of his mate clenched at him – a whine of his own breaking his silent guard, though he doubted the sound would carry to his beloved, whose sole goal was to bring their babies in to this world at this very moment. Not a shrub or tree stirred outside the whelping den, his bright eyes scouring the shadows that played upon the dark hours of the morning before sun would give way to day.


Finally, as time seemed to stretch to hours and the light of morning broke across the sky, his name was called. His muzzle swung heavily to the den entrance, his heart thundering in his broad chest; he would meet his family for the first time now. Had Indru felt this way? Out of everything he had faced in the five years of his life, a wildfire, losing his family, his life as a lone wolf.. the loss of Kinis.. nothing terrified him as much as this very moment.


Unwilling to leave Aeylen waiting for long, the tawny regal cast one more glance around the den, reassuring that the woods was as quiet as ever. Tipping his muzzle back, the Leader released a low song for his pack mates, welcoming his children to the world. Today was the day Copper Rock Creek became more than a small count of members storing their caches and guarding their borders. They became a true family, with a litter to rear.


Moving forward now, the tawny male crept forward as he entered the low confines of the den. The scent of birth grew stronger than from outside, and blinking to adjust his eyes to the dim light, his gaze would fall first upon Aeylen’s beautiful face; her features tired, and yet glowing. Trailing down now, Ruiko laid his vision upon his children for the first time. Three beautiful cubs, each curled in to the warmth and suckling upon their mother. Taking a step closer, all fear washed away from him then as he took in the three babes. Two strong males, and one delicate and beautiful female. The world clicked in to place at that very moment; he was not here in this life to be a leader, or a strong brother to his family.. he was here for these three little souls, and he knew with a fierce realization he would protect them with everything he had. “Aeylen,” he murmured, his voice holding an awe that had never been there before.

It was not her mate's stirring just outside the rocky haven that revealed his presence, but a song more glorious than she had ever heard, a tale of their inheritance of the world. Relieved and amazed all the same, the shewolf would glance briefly to the sizable entrance before retiring to a more comfortable position on her side. With a deep inhalation of the stagnant den air, her wide head would fall to the earthen floor for only a moment before the dark featured regal crept toward her.

"Aeylen."

It was a moment dreams were made of. Her freshly slimmed body curled ever so carefully around the three children - each of whom was making a complete ruckus of baby noise - as she gazed at the cream of Ruiko's paws before her eyes would find his own. The connection was electric, no less potent than it had ever been, and in a way the look they shared was completely foreign. They were no longer only lovers who shared their hearts, home, and love, but she now looked into the eyes of the father of her first born children. The thought made her heart flutter.

With a longing more intense than ever, Aeylen lifted her head proudly, as if to reach out for his touch. But their moment was cut short as a shrill cry broke the heartfelt silence; quickly she craned her neck to tend to the tiny female. Surely she wasn't hungry...The tawny shewolf may be new at this, but it did not take an expert to assess the child's needs as she lay seperate from her two brothers who slumbered against the touch of their mother's soft underbelly. With the gentility of a summer breeze Aeylen took the newborn Tainn in her jaws, placing her softly at the second-born's side. "There now, little one," she cooed under her breath, "sleep..."

In her moment of maternal duty she had nearly forgotten Ruiko was there with them all. Warm eyes would look him over thoughtfully as she dwelled on the fact that all she wanted was to share the moment with him.

"Come closer..." she whispered, ready to bury her face in his coarse, tawny coat. "He's got your eyes," she offered in a moment of awe as she watched the litter's oldest squirm in a fleeting moment of wakefulness. Naturally, she had yet to see the boy's eyes, as they would remain closed for some weeks, but his every feature reminded her of his father, the love of her life.

As she waited for Ruiko's response to the most memorable of memories, tears of joy saturated the red, sienna, and cream fur of her face.

He watched her quietly; the perfect mother. Of all the doubts in his life, Aeylen had never been one of them, and as the beautiful tawny and red female re-arranged their young with the most gentle motion he had witnessed, crooning to them in the meantime. Ruiko felt awed, and yet as her eyes lifted to meet his, the electricity that shot through his spine now just from the gaze from the mother of his children was intense, and as she beckoned him closer he knew he would never deny her anything.


Moving toward her now, the male’s paws caressed the den ground softly, unwilling to disturb his young that now slept. Feeling the press of Aeylen’s muzzle to his side, the Leader bent his muzzle down, smoothing his tongue across her features as a gentle whine escaped him. This was their family. This was what he had desired all along.. not just the right to lead a pack.


Her words kept him in quiet, and ever so slowly the tawny Tainn stretched himself out upon the other side of their young. His gaze swept over each tiny form, noting the tiny rise and fall of their chests as slumber took their world. “They are beautiful like you,” he murmured, studying the darkness of one cub pressed against the pale light of another. Finally, there was a more cinnamon hued boy.. Perfect. Each of them were perfect.